Precipitating-cell.



No. 834.575'. y f l 'PATBNTED 00T. soi 1906.

W. A. HENDRYX. y

PREGIPITATING CELL.

APPLIGATIOH FILED JAN. 17. 1908. l'

l/ l r @wf/@ @A jfs/3W. gli@ vss ' lTo a/ZZ may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT 0O I fFIGllQ WILBUR A. HENDRYX, OFDENVER, COLORADO.

PREclPlTAi-ING-CELL.

f ANo.1332.1.,57'a

claimed an apparatus for the separation of f gold, silver, copperfand other metallic values vfrom solutions containingthe same, said device comprising in its preferred form a frame carrylng a filterlng medium and electrodes or equivalent precipitating means disposed i within said frame and in position to be covered or envelopedby said filtering medium, I

-means being provided for causing the metalbearing solution to pass through the filtering medium and into 'contact with the precipitating means.

of this character, hereinafter referred to as precipitating-cells,"the obj ect of the invention being to provide a precipitatingcell i which shallbe inexpensive in constructioni and efficient and economical in operation.

ings, whereinportions of the cell on an enlarged Fig. 3 is a transversek vertical section of the cell on the same scale* as Fig. 2. detail in horizontal section of 'a modified vertical section of a modified form of cell.

Vas (provided witha frame comprising upper an lower members 1 2 and two end members 3 3, said several members being rab-` beted on each side, as shown at 4, to receive I. side plates 5 5,'which may be of wood, asbes- Fig. 4`is a L f Specification of. Letters Patent. Application filed January 17, 1906. Serial No. 296,565.

g: tion may be establis For a full understanding .of my invention f reference is made to the accompanying drawy.external source of current. form of side plate, and Fig. 5 is 'la transverse y Patented oct. 3o, 1906.

of the median line of the cell and cut away, as l5 5 indicated'at 9, in order to 'afford free liquid communication throughout the cell. Exteriorly the frame is covered or enveloped by va layer 10, which constitutes'a filtering medium and may conveniently consist of 6o canvas in the form of 'a sack, as indicated in thefigures, such filtering medium being supported and spaced from the side plates 5 1n any suitable manner. As one such supporting means I have shown a number of rods l 1, '6;5 conveniently of wood, loosely united in substantiallyparallel relation by cords or equivalent devices 12. As'an equivalent means for supporting the filtering medium I may provide side plates 5, having integral vertical S70 ribs 11 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Iv prefer to secure thesack 10' at its top in grooves 13, formed in the sides of the upper frame member 1, the sack bein secured therein by p strips 14, preferably o T shape in cross-sec- `75 The present'invention relates to apparatus tion, as clearly shown in Fig.4 3. Said strips 14 are united by yokes 15, passing around the ends of the cell and capable of adjustment by bolts 16.

17 represents a pipe whereby communica- 18o ed between the interior of the cell and a suitable pump or equivalent device, serving to cause. a flow of the metalbearing solution through the 4filtering me'- dium and into contact with the precipitating means within the cell. 1 In the specific form shown in Figs. 1, 2 3 I have shown such precipitating means' as comprising anodes 19 and a cathode 20, said electrodes being adapted for connection to an 9o The anodes 19, which preferably consist of plates of graphite,

v are disposed against the inner surfaces of the Referring to Figs. 1, 2 3, the cell is shown i side plates 5 in the spaces between the supporting-strips 7 7 and 8 8. These anodes 95 'bear against contact-bars 21, lying in recesses on the inner side of the upper frame member 1, asA shown in Fig. 3, said contactbars having metallic connection with the anode-'binding posts 22. The cathode 20 roo preferably consists of a metallic sheet or plate adapted for insertion between the supporting-strips 7 and 8, said strips serving also to guide the cathode to its proper vposition and to support it in use. f Any suitable con- 1105' lductive material may be employed as a cathode, preferably a metal-such as copper, tin or terneplate, or iron-but my invention 'is not limited in this respect. The cathodesurface may be treated with graphite to prevent too close adherence of the deposited metal.

In order that the cathode may be quickly removed to recover the metallic values, I provide in the upper frame member 1 a longitudinal slot 23, having an enlarged portion 24, said slot being closed in use by a strip 25, hav- `rc ing a packing 26, which may conveniently be zo scribedv is as follows: The precipitatingcell,

or, preferably, a plurality of similar cells, is mounted in a suitable extraction-tank, preferably in position to be entirely submerged in the body of oreulp or metal-bearing solution contained t erein. Such ore-pulp is preferably prepared with a cyanid or other solvent solution, as is well understood. The pulp or liquid is preferably circulated and in Vcase a cyanid solution is used is preferably 3o aerated by any convenient means-as, for

instance, by means of the apparatus shown in my prior application yabove referred to. The several cells are operatively connected with the suction-line of a suitable pump,

whereby the metal-bearing solution is carried into and through the cells, the suspended matter being retained by the filtering medium.- The metals contained in solution are partially or wholly separated, being precipi- 4o tated upon the cathode, and the depleted solution may be returned to the tank or may be otherwise treated. At suitable intervals the ulp or slime adhering to the outside of the tering medium may be detached tlierefrom, as by reversing the movement of the pump, or, preferably, as described in in prior application above referred to, by forcing air into the interior of the precipitating-cells and permitting it to escape through the filtering 5o media.

The construction of my improved precipitating-cells is such that While the entire lateral area of the filtering medium is active in transmitting the metal-bearing solution said solution can enter the interior of the cell only at its bottom through the apertures 6 in the Side plates 5 and is withdrawn therefrom through the pipe 17 at the top. It results from this construction that the whole body of the liquid is caused to traverse the entire cell in contact with the precipitating means therein, such construction being highly advantageousas affording the most. efficient operating conditions for the cell.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a simplified form of cell the construction of which will be read.- ily understood without further description, the several parts being indicated by referencenumerals corresponding to those in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and being constructed and assembled as `above described. The anodes and cathodes adapted for connection to an external source of current are, however, omitted, their place being supplied by a precipitating agent, (ind icated by tlie numeral 31.) Such precipitating agent is preferably in more or less divided form in order to resent a relatively large surface to the liquid entering at 6 and passing out through the nipple 17. The precipitating agent may consist of metallic zinc or aluminium or other relatively electropositive metal, of an alloy containing such metal, of a mechanical mixture of such metal with lead, carbon, or other relatively electronegative element, or I may use a galvanic couple of any form or kind without external connection to a source of current. Each of these precipitating agents, as Well as the electrodes above described, are intended to be embraced in the meaning of the term precipitating means as herein employed..

I do not herein claim broadly a cell comprising precipitating means and a filtering cover or envelop for the same, such inveiibeing claimed in my prior application Serial No. 267,785, above referred to.

I claim- 1. A precipitating-cell comprising an o )en frame, a filtering medium carried there y precipitat'ng means within said frame, and inlet and outlet a ertures for liquid oppositely disposed with respect to said )recipitating means, substantially as described.

2. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame, a filtering medium carried thereby, precipitating means within said frame, and deficcting side plates for directing the fiow of liquid in said' frame, substantially as described.

3. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame, a filtering medium carried thereby, precipitating means within said frame, and apertured side plates for directin T the flow of li uid in said frame, substantially as described.

4. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame, a filtering medium carried thereby, preci )itatinor means within said frame, an outlet for liquid in the upper part of said frame, and side plates providing an inlet for liquid in the lower portion of the frame, substantially as described.

5. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame, a filtering medium carried thereby, precipitating means within said frame, and defiecting side plates-inter osed between the filtering medium and t e precipitating means, substantially as described.

6. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame, a filterino` medium carried thereby, supports for said filtering medium, precipitating means within said frame, and defiecting side plates lOO interposed between the ltering medium and the precipitating means, substantially as described.

7. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame,

supporting-rods between said side lates `and the filtering medium, substantia ly as described.

8. A precipitating-cell comprising an o en frame, a filtering medium carried there y, electrodes within said frame, `and inlet and outlet apertures for liquid oppositely disposed with respect t'o said electrodes, substantially 4as described.

9. A precipitating-cell comprising a frame,

f a iiltering medium carried thereby, electrodes withinsaid frame, and side plates for directin theflow of liquid through said frame,

'su stantially as described.

10. A recipitating cell com rising a frame, a iltering medium carried tlriereby, an anode and cathode Within said frame, and an aperture in said frame in alinement with said cathode, substantially` as described.

1 1. A recipitating cell com rising a frame, a lltering medium carried t ereby, an

anode and cathode Within said frame, an aperture in said frame in alinement with said cathode, and a closure for said aperture, substantially as described.

12. A recipitating-cell com rising. a frame, a tering medium carrie thereby, precipitating` means within said frame, deilecting side plates for directin the flow of liquid through said frame, an sup ortingstrip)s for said side plates, substantial y as descr ed.

13, Ay recipitating-cell com rising a frame, a lltering medium carried) thereby, precipitating means within said frame, de-

ecting side plates for directing the flow of liquid through said frame, and apertured supporting-strips for said side plates, substantially as described.

14. A precipitating-cell comprisin a frame, precipitatin means therein, a ilter-I ing-envelop for sai frame and precipitating means, and a closure for said envelop, said closure'embracing the sides and ends of said frame, 'substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILBUR A. HENDRYX.

Witnesses:

GSARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FowLE. 

